Government Impersonation Scams

Written & reviewed by Reuben Schultz, FounderLast updated 1 October 2026

Calls, texts and emails pretending to be the police, the AFP, Border Force, Home Affairs, ASIC or a state agency say you are in trouble: a warrant, a cancelled visa, a parcel in your name, an unpaid fine. The pitch is fear plus a fast fix, and the fix is a payment or your banking details. Caller ID can be made to show a real agency's number, so what is on your screen settles nothing.

This guide explains how the scam works, the warning signs to watch for, and what to do if you've been caught out. Got a specific message in front of you? Check it now and get an instant verdict.

How this scam works

Victoria Police, writing about fake authority scams aimed at the Mandarin-speaking community, says the scammers lie to victims about who they are and blackmail them to extort their money. It lists the lies: your parcel contains illegal materials, someone is using your identity for illegal activity, and the Australian Government will arrest you, cancel your visa and deport you. The AFP published one script in June 2026: a caller identifies as an AFP officer and says a bank account was opened with your identity by a 'suspect' linked to a money laundering investigation, then moves you to an encrypted video call and a 'confidentiality agreement'. The way out on offer is payment or access to your accounts. The same fear works in writing: NSW Government says scams using Revenue NSW and Service NSW branding have arrived by text, email and mail seeking payment for fine notices that do not exist, and ASIC says people pretending to be ASIC may ask for fees or personal information to renew your business or company name. None of the surface details proves the contact is real: the Victorian Government warns that scammers may mention personal details they already know about you, and Queensland Police say caller ID spoofing lets offenders display a number indicating they're from a trusted organisation. Agencies do contact people, sometimes by text (Fines Victoria says it may SMS you about outstanding fines), so the test is what you are asked to do. The safe move does not change: hang up, find the agency's number yourself on its own website, and call that. ATO, Centrelink, Medicare and myGov versions have their own guides, linked below.

What the scam looks like

These composed examples show how the scam typically reads, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.

Example scam phone callExample only. Not a real message.

An automated message says a parcel addressed to you has been intercepted and contains illegal items. The 'officer' you reach says a bank account was opened in your name by a suspect in a money laundering case, that you will be arrested unless you act today, and that you must keep the call secret. To 'clear your name' you are told to buy gift cards while he stays on the line.

What gives it away:

Fear comes first, then the fix; the 'clear your name' payment is what the call is for
The AFP says being asked to buy gift cards is a tell-tale sign of a scam, and that police will not ask you to move money to a 'safe account'
Secrecy and staying on the line stop you checking; hang up and call the agency's number from its own website

Example scam text messageExample only. Not a real message.

FINAL NOTICE: An unpaid infringement is recorded against your vehicle and a warrant will be issued today. Settle $187.50 now to avoid enforcement: state-fines-notice[.]example/pay

What gives it away:

A warrant and a same-day deadline on a pay-now link is the usual shape; NSW Government says scams using Revenue NSW and Service NSW branding sought payment for fine notices that do not exist
Agencies do text about fines, so the channel proves nothing; Fines Victoria says that if you are unsure you should not click the links but use the number on your notice or letter or its website
ASIC says sender names on texts can be easily manipulated by scammers to create a false sense of trust, so the name at the top proves nothing

Example scam emailExample only. Not a real message.

Subject: ASIC notice: company review overdue. Your annual review has not been completed. To avoid a late penalty and deregistration, pay the review fee by card within 48 hours at company-review-desk[.]example.

What gives it away:

An 'overdue' filing with a 48-hour penalty is the pressure; ASIC says unsolicited notices from third parties may look like an invoice even though you are not required to pay it
ASIC says you can log in to ASIC Connect or the Company Officeholder Portal to check whether a renewal or review is actually due; open them yourself, not through the email

Who gets targeted, and when

Anyone, because the fear lands differently on each person: someone with a parcel on the way, a driver with a fine they might have missed, a visa holder, a company director with a filing due. Victoria Police says one family of these scams targets the Mandarin-speaking community, particularly students of Chinese background.

These scams can arrive at any time, and they are most convincing when they match something real, such as a fine you might have missed or a filing that is due. ASIC's page of impersonation alerts has entries for every year from 2021 to 2026.

How to spot it

A call, text or email that says you are in trouble and offers a way out today; Victoria Police lists lies such as your parcel containing illegal materials or someone using your identity for illegal activity
A request to pay by an unusual route; the Victorian Government lists preloaded debit cards, iTunes gift cards and virtual currency such as Bitcoin as a key sign of a scam
A request to move money to a 'safe account'; the AFP says police will not ask you to do that
A switch to a new call or a video call; the AFP says it won't ask you to move to a different call for 'protection' or 'verification', and that police will not contact you by video call
A number that looks right, or a name on a text; Queensland Police say official QPS numbers have been used in scams, and ASIC says sender names on texts can be easily manipulated
A visa matter that costs extra; the Home Affairs Minister says Home Affairs officials won't ask for extra payments to process a visa
A fine, rebate or licence message with a pay-now or log-in link; Service NSW says it won't send a link asking you to log in directly from an email or text message (SMS)
A message from 'ASIC' asking for a fee or card details; ASIC says it does not request payment to recover or release funds, goods or services stolen by scammers

What to do if you have been targeted

Stop the call and any messages; the AFP says not to follow the caller's instructions or keep them on the line
If you paid or shared bank, card or crypto details, call your bank or exchange straight away on the number in its official app or website; the AFP says the sooner you report a financial loss, the better the chances that banks or authorities can help
If you shared a date of birth, passport or licence details, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
Report to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au) if you lost money or details, and to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) if you did not, as the AFP advises
Tell the agency that was impersonated; ASIC asks to hear about scams impersonating it, and Home Affairs says suspected visa scams can be reported to its Border Watch
Expect a follow-up 'recovery' pitch; ASIC says offers to help scam victims recover stolen money are recovery scams

Where to report it

Scamwatch — Report the scam to the ACCC's national scam service.
ReportCyber — Report cybercrime and financial loss to the police.
ACMA — Complain about scam texts and spam SMS, email or calls.
Forward to 7226 (SCAM) — Forward the scam SMS to short code 7226 so carriers can block the source.
IDCARE — Free identity and cyber support if your details were taken.

How to protect yourself

Hang up and call the agency back on a number you find yourself on its own website; Victoria Police advise not to use any phone numbers, email addresses or websites the caller gives you
Don't treat caller ID, a sender name or an email address as proof; ASIC says scammers can use technology to make an email appear to come from a legitimate ASIC address
Check fines, renewals and visa notices in the official account, not through the message; NSW Government says fines can be confirmed online via myPenalty, myEnforcement Order or your MyServiceNSW account
Treat a payment that can't be undone, such as gift cards or crypto, as a stop sign; the Victorian Government says that once scammers have spent the money, it will be gone forever
Talk to someone you trust before you act; the AFP says some people who spoke to family or friends realised they were being scammed before handing over any funds
Don't share one-time codes or passwords with a caller; Service NSW says it won't call you to ask for a code or password
Forward scam texts to 7226 (spells SCAM), then delete them

Government Impersonation Scams in 2026

Police impersonation has drawn several official warnings in 2026. In June 2026 the AFP and the Royal Thai Police published a script found in a Cambodian scam compound and used to pose as AFP officers. In February 2026 the AFP warned of callers who say they are police working under Operation Firestorm, a legitimate AFP operation, and who say you were identified in a data breach. Queensland Police reported an increase in scammers using official QPS phone numbers in June 2026. Beyond police, the Home Affairs Minister warned in December 2025 of scammers impersonating senior officers and offering visa help, and ASIC's latest listed alert, from August 2026, covers email spear phishing impersonating ASIC staff.

Related brands targeted by this scam

Scammers often impersonate these names in government impersonation scams. Here's how to tell a genuine message from a fake:

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Frequently asked questions

A caller says they are from the AFP and that a warrant is out for my arrest unless I pay. Is that real?

It matches what the AFP warns about. The AFP says it won't call, email or contact you through social media to threaten arrest, demand money or ask for personal details, and that it and the Australian Government more generally won't seek payment for fines or other matters over the phone. End the call and don't call back the number it came from; to check, look up the AFP switchboard number for your capital city yourself.

The caller ID shows a real police or government number. Doesn't that prove the call is genuine?

No. Queensland Police explain that caller ID spoofing allows offenders to hide their real phone number while displaying a different number indicating they're from a trusted organisation. They advise verifying an unsolicited caller independently, regardless of the number displayed: hang up, locate the official contact number yourself, and make a new call.

I got a text about an unpaid fine and a warning of enforcement. How do I check it?

Don't use the link or number in the text. NSW Government says fines can be confirmed and reviewed online via myPenalty, myEnforcement Order or your MyServiceNSW account, and Fines Victoria says that if you are unsure you should not click the links and should use the number on your notice or letter or its website. Agencies do send texts about fines, so judge the request rather than the channel.

Someone says they are from Home Affairs and my visa will be cancelled unless I pay. What should I do?

Hang up. The Home Affairs Minister said in December 2025 that Home Affairs officials won't ask people for extra money to process visas faster, and that if you receive an unexpected call you should hang up straight away and call back using a publicly available number. People can also confirm whether communication from the Department is genuine by checking their ImmiAccount.

I got a notice saying my company or business name needs renewing and a fee is due. Is it from ASIC?

It may come from a third party. ASIC says companies and business name holders receive unsolicited notices from third-party providers about annual reviews or renewals, that these providers are not ASIC, and that such notices may look like an invoice even though you are not required to pay it. Check whether anything is due in ASIC Connect or the Company Officeholder Portal yourself.

Someone claiming to be from ASIC says they can recover money I lost to an investment scam, for a fee. Is that real?

Treat it as a likely second scam. ASIC says it does not request payment to recover or release funds, goods or services stolen by scammers, and describes offers to help scam victims recover stolen money as recovery scams. If you lost money, tell your bank first, then report to Scamwatch and ReportCyber.

Scam message examples

Related scam types

Other scams hitting Australians right now — know the warning signs:

Sources

Scammers using fake AFP credentials to target vulnerable people (Australian Federal Police)
Revealed: the sophisticated script Cambodian scammers used to pose as AFP officers (Australian Federal Police)
Scam alert: I'm an AFP police officer working under Operation Firestorm (Australian Federal Police)
Police warn of caller ID spoofing scams (Queensland Police Service)
Fake authority scams targeting the Chinese community (Victoria Police)
Warning about scam targeting visa applicants (Minister for Home Affairs)
Visa scams (Department of Home Affairs)
Scams impersonating ASIC (ASIC)
Scam alert: Scammers are impersonating ASIC in text messages (ASIC)
Scam alert: Scammers impersonating ASIC in email spear phishing scam (ASIC)
Unsolicited business name renewal and company review notices (ASIC)
Government impersonation scams (ID Support NSW (NSW Government))
Protect your personal information with Service NSW (Service NSW)
Be aware of an increase in scam messages (Fines Victoria)
Stay safe from scams (Victorian Government)

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — if you've lost money, contact your bank and the reporting channels above straight away.